No MD able to intercept RF IBM units – RF military

Combat-equipped intercontinental ballistic missiles will be able to reach any target

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MOSCOW, November 24 (Itar-Tass) — No missile defence will be able to intercept units of Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles, said Colonel-General Viktor Yesin, consultant to the commander of the Strategic Rocket Forces and former chief of the RSVN Main Staff.

Combat-equipped intercontinental ballistic missiles will be able to reach any target. No missile defence is capable of intercepting their warheads, Yesin told Itar-Tass on Thursday.

“Combat-equipped arms, which are being worked out now, should be used not only in new promising missile systems but also in the systems, which became operational a long time ago,” the Russian General said.

President Dmitry Medvedev said in a televised address on November 23 that Russia would take strong measures, such as enhancement of its strategic capabilities and deployment of attack systems, in response to further implementation of U.S. plans to create missile defence in Europe.

He said Russia would reserve the right to give up further disarmament and arms control measures and might withdraw from the START Treaty. Medvedev stressed that if other measures prove insufficient, Russia would deploy modern attack systems in the west and south of the country which will be able to destroy the U.S. missile defence elements in Europe. He mentioned in particular Iskander systems in the Kaliningrad region.

“I think we can deploy our positions within six months or a year,” Mikhail Nenashev of United Russia, who is a member of the State Duma Defence Committee, told Itar-Tass.

When asked how fast Russia can equip its land- and sea-based strategic ballistic missiles with new highly-effective warheads capable to piercing missile defence, Nenashev admitted that “the situation is more complex because both the Bulava and some other projects have been implemented slowly”. “This will take much more time,” he said, adding that “different timelines have been named from 2 to 5 years”. “If the political and economic will is focused, this can be done faster within 2-3 years,” the MP said.

Medvedev’s statement on missile defence “was very clear and courageous”, Rogozin said. “The Russian political leadership reiterated that if we failed to find any way to resolve the situation [in missile defence], Russia will be forced to take a military-technical decision. The Russian political leadership believes that it is necessary to preserve the strategic deterrence potential, which is the key security guarantor.” “If anyone tries to ‘bite off more than one can chew’ and call into question this potential, countermeasures should be worked out. The president has spoken about them today,” Rogozin stressed.

At the same time, he said, “One should talk about a new arms race.” “Russia will admit no arms race. Our measures are asymmetric and not require additional expenditures,” the Russian permanent representative to NATO said. “All will be done so that the economy and Russian citizens will not damage,” he added.

“We forcedly intend to strengthen security,” Rogozin pointed out. “If we make sure that the U.S. will not give up the third and fourth phases of missile defence, our answer will be adequate,” the permanent representative said.

In his words, “NATO European allies have no their own opinion. They will not have access to the U.S. projects.” “They will the countries where any systems are deployed. They will have no impact on these plans,” Rogozin said. He considers NATO “an umbrella for deploying missile defence”.

Rogozin said, “There is a direct instruction to continue consultations with the United States until it overcomes the point of no return: to create the missile defence architecture. If this is declared at the NATO summit in Chicago, then we will give our response.”

In addition, the permanent representative noted that the deployment of Russian missiles in Belarus in return to the U.S. missile defence plans was a fantasy. “Let us not to dream up. Draw on what Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said today,” Rogozin said.